My Success Story – Brandon Urdang

I heard about Terra Firma from colleagues in the sustainability industry.

What drove you to search for training in the first place?

Liberty contracted Terra Firma to co-develop an Energy Strategy for the organisation, which proved to be very valuable. Since I am responsible for the Carbon Footprint among other things, I thought that it would be beneficial to gain a certification. After researching the training possibilities, I thought that the Terra Firma Academy course was most relevant to me and the company.

What was your expectation of the training, and was it met, superseded or not quite what you expected?

I expected to gain a better understanding of a Carbon Footprint and the different methodologies used for calculating it, which I did. The course exceeded my expectations by providing very relevant background in regards to the greenhouse gas effect, climate change and the related social impacts. As an Environmental Scientist, I thought that the content was both relevant and easy to understand for environmental experts as well as the layman. The course was both engaging and inspiring.

Have you done any similar short courses, and if so, how did they compare?

No.

What is your success story – how did the training help you achieve your goals?

It has proved to be useful when requesting finance for carbon reduction projects.

Have you managed to use the learning and insight you gained from the training in your job?

I have used the information to explain the importance of a carbon footprint to executives and other colleagues and how it relates to the businesses success.

Now that you have experienced the benefits of training to ‘get ahead’/find a job, what is your next step in terms of your career?

I want to gain deeper insights in shared value with a strong focus on societal positioning. I believe that environmental concerns directly affect humanity and specifically the poorer populations who often rely directly on their surrounding environment for their survival. People who live in the cities often rely on resources from further afield, which acts as a “buffer” to climate change issues. When addressing these environmental concerns in relations to business profits then the business is engaging in shared value creation.